Even before CEDIA Expo last month, the automation space in the custom installation channel had been heating up. At the same time that established automation vendors have been branching out into new directions, the number of competing brands has increased.

In some cases, well-known names are getting involved, such as the lighting manufacturer Lutron (which has dived into full automation), or the audio company Speakercraft (which has launched Nirv equipment). In other cases, younger brands are gaining increased traction in the channel.

One automation vendor that's been setting tongues wagging in the last year is Savant Systems. A system engineered around the Apple OS is virtually guaranteed to generate some buzz among the tech-savvy. I've written about them in the past, both for Marketnews and elsewhere; and Savant since its inception, has been surrounded by an air of anticipation, (not always in a good way).

At CEDIA Expo 2008, I recall talking to a veteran integrator from Toronto who expressed a curiosity and interest in Savant's concept. He quipped: "They're going to actually have to ship some product before I commit to trying them out."

Fast forward to today, and Savant is not only shipping product, but growing. They're now being distributed in Canada by Evolution Entertainment, and the hype is starting to reach a fever pitch. So it seems like a timely issue to address the questions that integrators are asking: how do Savant Systems stack up versus the established automation giant Crestron? How do they differ? What are their comparative strengths and weaknesses?

To be clear, my intention here is to write neither a hatchet job on Crestron, nor a fluffy piece of cheerleading for Savant (or the reverse, for that matter). Just the facts. In order to do that, I sought ought a dealer who had enough experience with both brands to be able to offer an educated and informed opinion on both systems.

Not surprisingly, I had to go pretty far afield to find a veteran integrator who knows both brands inside and out. Rick Smith, owner of Theatron Home Theater, an integration company based in Purcellville, VA has been a Crestron dealer, as well as experienced with AMX, handling both installation and programming for over 10 years. He switched over to Savant in the past year. While obviously very pro-Savant, he spoke objectively about the two.

In a nutshell, it comes down to hardware versus software solutions. The cardinal difference between Crestron and Savant, according to Smith, is their core philosophy. Crestron is a very hardware-focused company, with literally thousands of individual modules, boxes, adaptors, and devices for every conceivable application. It's through all the individual compatible devices that Crestron's control processors pull the strings.

In part, it's Crestron's galaxy of in-house products, not to mention the enormous number of compatible third-party devices in its Approved Partner program, that has cemented Crestron's position as the number-one automation brand. You can find legacy Crestron systems from the ‘80s that are still operating, which speaks volumes for how rock solid they can be.

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